6 fantasy studs of the 2025 NFL preseason and whether they'll matter

USA Today

2 hours ago

The NFL preseason is overreaction time. When else can you get irrationally excited about a fifth string running back set to toil through the games that actually matter on the practice squad?
Each August, the league presents us with the Velveeta of football -- not quite the real thing and occasionally disturbing, but good enough to get by in a pinch. These exhibitions rarely feature stars or even starters for long. Injury risk and the need to sort out a 53-man roster means we see plenty of young, hungry players looking to make their mark on Sundays.
A few will. Others will be relegated to folk hero status before swapping out a wide range of practice jerseys over a few undistinguished years. Sometimes it's easy to figure out the difference between the two. Other times, a player who shines early never catches that luster again. Let's take a look at some of Week 2's biggest performers in the 2025 NFL preseason and where they land -- and whether or not these big August performances could pay off in your fantasy league.
QB Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Williams may be in the midst of a remarkable Year 2 glow-up. Former head coach Matt Eberflus spend three seasons proving he had no idea how to nurture a young, skilled dual-threat quarterback. In his place is Ben Johnson, who revived Jared Goff into an MVP candidate as offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. Goff and Williams have differing skillsets, but Goff's biggest strength as a Lion is fast processing and on-time deliveries to open windows -- something decidedly lacking from Williams' rookie year.
Well, good news about that:
Williams looked like the Heisman Trophy winner he once was in a game-opening 92-yard touchdown drive capped by a 36-year Olamide Zaccheaus catch-and-run.
In fairness, backups Tyson Bagent and Austin Reed also carved up a deficient Buffalo Bills defense to the point where Bills head coach Sean McDermott seemed appalled. But after a season where Williams showcased many of the same flaws that derailed Justin Fields -- too many sacks (nearly 11 percent of his dropbacks), an eagerness to ditch designed plays under relatively minor threats of pressure, iffy processing -- this was a step forward. With a proven offensive mind at the helm and a lineup of explosive skill players, Williams could thrive in year two.
Will it matter for my fantasy team? Absolutely.
Williams' mobility is a fantasy plus, but while his 51 scrambles were second-most in the NFL it resulted in a modest rushing total (489 yards) and zero touchdowns. If he can tamp down that flight instinct and stand in the pocket it would not just boost his passing numbers but create more space for well-timed escapes from pressure.
RB Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks
Charbonnet finished Week 2 with only 45 yards, but that came on five carries and included a too-easy 15 yard touchdown run against a smattering of Kansas City Chiefs starters.
With Kenneth Walker III out due to injury, Charbonnet stepped into the void and powered Sam Darnold's offense. All five of his carries came on the game's first drive. None ended with fewer than four yards, ripping off a 100 percent success rate across that small sample size.
Will it matter for my fantasy team? Yes.
Charbonnet remains in a timeshare with Walker in Seattle, he's made the case to absorb a larger workload after thriving this preseason. Walker's efficiency has waned the last two seasons after an explosive rookie debut. After producing 103 rushing yards over expected (RYOE) in 2022 he's languished in the negatives each of the previous two seasons. Iffy blocking played a role, but Charbonnet still found ways to thrive in stretches last fall (a career-high 73 RYOE).
Charbonnet put up some big performances in Walker's absence. He also had a handful of clunkers. Stability may be within reach in his age 24 season -- especially with Grey Zabel looking like a full-time answer along the interior line.
WR Isaac TeSlaa, Detroit Lions
TeSlaa came to the NFL as a project. The former Division II star brought crazy measurables to the 2025 NFL Draft but modest high level production. He had 62 catches in two seasons after transferring to Arkansas but still managed to float up to the third round in a league that values inexpensive wideout production more than ever before.
He's taken full advantage of the snaps provided this preseason -- and the Lions' questionable fortune of drawing the Hall of Fame game in Week 0. In three contests he's got eight catches, 105 yards and two touchdowns. This back-shoulder adjustment on a well-placed Kyle Allen lob? That doesn't look like a player still getting his bearings as an NFL wideout:
TeSlaa has impressive size (6-foot-3) and speed (4.4-second 40) in an offense that scored more points than anyone else in 2024. Per The Athletic's Nick Baumgartner, he's developing a rapport with Jared Goff matched only by the Lions' *other* Pro Bowl targets.
Will it matter for my fantasy team? Every now and then, probably.
TeSlaa isn't just fighting against a steep learning curve. He's landed in a beneficial spot, but he's also at the bottom of a pecking order that also includes Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta. His size helps set him apart, but the Lions also have Tim Patrick to provide a big, beefy blocker and possession receiver toward the sideline. Factor in Detroit breaking in a new offensive coordinator and there could be some hiccups along the way. TeSlaa seems destined to contribute as a rookie, but he's headed for the "sleeper" pile as a player who can occasionally devastate with big games but also disappear for stretches.
TE Gunnar Helm, Tennessee Titans
Helm has made his mark as a rookie fourth round pick. The seventh tight end selected this spring had a big performance in Week 2; four catches, 48 yards and one impressive touchdown catch through double coverage to cap an impressive first half against the Atlanta Falcons.
Helm has a well-rounded skill set and the chops to push incumbent Chig Okonkwo for starting snaps. He has the speed and size to create mismatches up the seam, but also the awareness of where to settle in zone coverage to exploit holes. So how will that translate when the games actually matter?
Will it matter for my fantasy team? Probably not.
Helm is facing the same tricky adjustment that limits most college tight ends in their NFL debuts. He's also working off a limited college resume. 2024 was the only season in which he had more than 14 catches in four years at Texas.
On top of that, head coach Brian Callahan doesn't have much love for his tight ends. He spent five seasons as Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator. Not once did he have a tight end with more than 500 receiving yards. In two separate seasons he didn't have one clear 400 yards. Okonkwo finished 2024 as the Titans' TE1 and averaged four targets and fewer than 30 receiving yards per game.
WR Efton Chism III, New England Patriots
No player in the NFL has more catches this preseason than Chism's 12. After a six catch, 50 yard, one touchdown day in his preseason debut, the undrafted rookie came back for six, 71 and another score in Week 2.
The former Eastern Washington star is undersized (5-foot-10) and comparatively slow (4.71-second 40 speed), but has spent the preseason finding holes in coverage and, importantly, finishing catches through contact and showcasing elusive run-after-catch ability. The natural overreaction would be to compare Chism to another 5-foot-10, small school standout who was roundly overlooked at the draft. Chism has a long way to go before he can earn Julian Edelman praise, but the early returns are promising at the very least.
Will it matter for my fantasy team? Probably not, but you can't rule out anything stupid when it comes to Patriots' wideouts.
Chism was a priority addition for the Pats, securing one of the team's largest bonuses for an undrafted free agent. He gets to play for a dynamic young quarterback looking to leave his mark on the NFL in Drake Maye. He plays for a roster in dire need of receiving talent.
But there's also a logjam among supporting wideouts in Foxborough. Demario Douglas takes most of his snaps from the slot, which is Chism's most natural position. Stefon Diggs has arrived to be the team's WR1, but Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte and a healthy Kendrick Bourne can compete for snaps further down Maye's wish list. Kyle Williams was a top 70 pick in this year's draft and will get the chance to fulfill that potential. 2024 draft picks Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, woeful as rookies, are competing for roster spots as well.
And that's not everyone! Chism may have worked his way onto the roster, but working his way into regular targets is another uphill battle.
WR Theo Wease Jr., Miami Dolphins
It's possible no one had a better preseason week than Wease, who turned nine targets from Zach Wilson and Quinn Ewers into six catches, 80 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The undrafted rookie was a non-factor in Miami's opener, but has risen to exhibition prominence as a big body in a wideout room led by 5-foot-10 Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Wease is still fighting an uphill battle to make the active roster, but his solid performance may have given him enough name recognition that the Dolphins don't risk hoping he'll slide through to their practice squad. He has solid top-line speed, and while his acceleration was iffy enough to leave him without suitors at this year's draft, his crisp routes and ability to adjust to a ball in flight could carve out a spot for him in Miami.
Will it matter for my fantasy team? Nah. He could find a place on the roster as a developmental possession receiver with some over-the-top skills. However, it's tough to see him being more than a WR4 type in Mike McDaniel's offense without some injuries at the top of the card.